In October, the Kilgore College Rangers were in danger of not even making the SWJCFC playoffs.

A couple of late crucial wins and a tiebreaker got the Rangers into the final four.

Now, the Rangers are Southwest Junior College Football Conference champions.

KC, using its ground attack and a standout defensive performance, defeated defending national champion New Mexico Military, 39-12, on Saturday at the Wool Bowl in Roswell, New Mexico. It was the first loss at home this season for the Broncos.

The Rangers (8-3) made the four-team tournament as the No. 4 seed after winning its season finale against Blinn and having Navarro knock off Tyler Junior College. KC and the Apaches tied for fourth place at 4-3, but Kilgore advanced by virtue of its win over TJC.

Kilgore then went on the road to blow out No. 1 seed Trinity Valley (38-10) in Athens before making the long trip to New Mexico on Saturday to upend No. 2 seed NMMI.

NMMI drops to 8-3 with the loss. Both teams will await word on possible bowl invitations.

Donerio Davenport carried 19 times for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the way for Kilgore. His effort moves him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 1,064 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Kaden Meredith added 12 carries for 66 yards. Judah Holtzclaw rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown and also completed 9 of 20 passing attempts for 179 yards. Willie McCoy caught three passes for 30 yards and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

Derick Mourning led the KC defense with eight tackles and two sacks. Vincent Page returned an interception for a TD.

NMMI got on the board first with a 31-yard field goal by William Testa, but the Rangers reeled off 17 straight points to take control of things.

KC took a 10-3 lead at halftime as Davenport scored on a 15-yard run at 10:16 of the first quarter and Christopher Baldazo added a 23-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining in the second quarter.

Kilgore blocked two punts and a 47-yard field attempt in the first half.

The Rangers got a huge boost as McCoy returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a TD. Baldazo made the PAT and KC led 17-3.

The Broncos pulled within 17-6 when Testa kicked a 38-yard field goal with 12:57 on the clock in the third quarter. The FG was set up by Malik Phillips' 67 kickoff return.

The Rangers then added a 19-yard TD run from Davenport, a 2-yard touchdown run by Holtzclaw and a 50-yard interception return from Paige with just under a minute left in the third to build a commanding 36-6 lead.

Kolby King's 32-yard field goal late in the fourth made it 39-6, and NMMI capped the scoring with a 4-yard TD run by Au'mhryaun Brown in the final minute to make the final 39-12.

The win avenged an earlier loss to NMMI for the Rangers, who dropped a 31-24 decision to the Broncos back on Sept. 17 at Longview's Lobo Stadium.

Running back Jeiel Stark was the leading rusher for the Broncos on the night with 12 carries for 45 yards. Wide-out Noah Armijo led in receiving yards with 44 on a pair of catches.

Kilgore now leads the overall series with NMMI, 6-3.

NMMI could receive a bid to the HF Sinclair Wool Bowl on Friday, Dec. 2 in Roswell. The Rangers, as SWJCFC champions, are in line to host the 20th TIPS-C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl in Commerce, Texas.

 The Walter Jones Trophy will be presented to the best JUCO football player in America on November 21 in Orlando, Florida. Visit walterjonestrophy.comfor details including the current watch list.